COVID-19 booster shot experience

COVID-19 booster shot experience

I am so grateful that we were already done with the booster vaccine for COVID-19. We were given options like Astrazeneca, Moderna or Pfizer. I chose Pfizer. And so I had it. I didn't feel anything when the vaccine was administered by a co-vaccinator. However, after 2 hours, I felt that my arm is starting to get sore with a pain scale of 2 out of 10. By 8 hours after, soreness had increased to 6-7. 

Fortunately after a day, soreness had decreased but pain is evident when palpating the injection area. I was grateful that I didn't experience fever and flu like symptoms like I did when I had after my primary vaccine Astrazeneca first dose.

The Astrazeneca jab: Will you take it or not? My experience Part 2

Finally, I'm able to complete the 2 doses of the Astrazeneca vaccine and to which I'm truly thankful and grateful for. As you might know, there has been recent articles and news here in the Philippines regarding increasing cases of rare blood clots in other countries that had scared some people off. But I still believe that this vaccine is more reliable than any other that is endorsed by the government. 

My second shot of this vaccine was overall a breeze though I experienced a painful shot of about 6 out of 10 during injection (I asked my co-worker as we had the same vaccinator but she hadn't experience that so I guess it was case to case basis) as I haven't felt a thing during my first shot of the vaccine. There was also an increase in my blood pressure from 90/70 mmHg pre-vaccination to 110/80 mmHg post vaccination. This is within normal range and should be expected. There wasn't a 30 minute observation time unlike in the first dose experience however during post vaccination assessment my heart rate shoot up to a 105 and that I was asked to go to the observational area to rest for around 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, I was discharged and was good to go. Yay!

 What I can note is that there was a pain in the injection site which was prominent after an hour but it was tolerable. After some time, the pain decreased at rest. I felt again the pain when I started to move my arm upwards. There was no fever, chills, headache, dizziness or body ache/joint pains noted. For about 4 hours post vaccine, pain in the arm decreased from 6 out of 10 to around 2 out of 10. At home, I noticed that my head is cold and clammy. There was one time that my ankle ached at night but it eventually subsided. When I tried to put pressure on the injection site, the pain increased to 6 again and I just slept it off. The next day, there was no pain but the site was still sore with movement.

It takes at least 2 weeks after completing your shot before you can say that you are fully protected. However, let me tell you that being fully vaccinated doesn't guarantee that you won't catch COVID. So let us do our part in ending this pandemic by wearing masks, observe social distancing and most importantly is hand hygiene.

I hope you're all well and stay safe! 

The Astrazeneca jab: Will you take it or not? My experience

Healthcare workers were considered as one of the most vulnerable population given that they are highly at risk and more likely to be exposed to a COVID positive patient. And so we were given priority and with which I'm duly grateful. After contemplating for a while, I've decided to get the Astrazeneca vaccine from the current two available vaccines in the country. I'm more comfortable in getting this one and I have a better gut feel on this. The vaccination process in our hospital was organized and kudos to the vaccination team it was a breeze. I was already expecting some side effects. Let me tell you what I've experienced after vaccination:

0958H > Got the Astrazeneca vaccine

• less than 15 minutes post vaccination - No complaints. I'm feeling fine.
• probably 30 minutes post vaccination - Feeling of lightheadedness; I took my lunch and the symptom lessened
• 2-3pm - Starting to feel muscle ache from the lower extremities but probably at around 1/10; 
• 5:30 pm - During transportation on my way home; felt joint pains and muscle ache from the lower extremities more prominent now; Feeling of fatigue, slightly
• 6 pm - Got home; Fully felt tired. I wanted to be done with bathing so I could already go to bed. Took a warm bath and felt chills. Felt cold after a bath. Don another layer of clothing and a blanket. I ate some fish soup.
• 6:30pm - Took my temperature 37.1C; after some time took again at 37.7C
• 7:30pm - Temperature spiked at 37.9C so I took a 500mg Paracetamol; Headache with a pain scale of 6/10 in which it feels like there is clawing in your eyes.
• 8:00pm - Decided to go to bed; Already exhausted and fatigued. It's like the flu twice the strength. Hands and feet feels cold. Did not use the electric fan. But after some time it felt hot so I turned it on.
• Woke up at 5am the next day - Feeling that you have sufficient sleep but your body is still fatigued.
• 5:30am - Head feels cool but upon checking my temperature it was at 38.2C. Took another Paracetamol. Headache lessened to 2-3/10. Still with a bit of muscle aches on the lower extremities.
• Was able to go to work again; Temperature was at 38.4C. Took another Paracetamol by lunch time. Checked temperature by 4 pm and it was at 37.4C
• Checked temperature the next day and it was at 36.4C which was my usual temperature. Yay! But felt soreness on the injection site.